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Resident urges Cloverdale to address pedestrian safety, sidewalk upkeep and possible community garden
Summary
At Monday's meeting a resident, Pearl Lopez, urged the council to tackle crosswalk safety, obstructed sidewalks and unleashed dogs, and suggested the city consider converting a vacant lot near the Pix Drive-in into a community garden.
Pearl Lopez, a Cloverdale resident who said she walks four times daily, told the City Council during the public-comment period that she has repeatedly encountered drivers who fail to stop at stop signs and pedestrians who nearly have been struck in crosswalks.
“It's really no longer safe to be a pedestrian in our city,” Lopez said. She said drivers frequently fail to stop — sometimes because they are on phones — and that near-misses occur “at least a couple of times a week.” Lopez said she has reported incidents to police and City Hall but has not seen sustained changes.
Lopez also complained about unleashed dogs and yards where shrubs encroach on sidewalks, forcing pedestrians to step into the street. She cited problems on Bridal Street near the post office, where she said a shrub “blocks the whole sidewalk.”
In a final comment, Lopez suggested that a vacant parcel near the Pix Drive-in being discussed for sale would make a good community garden for elderly residents and people without yards. She described the location as “an awesome place to have a community garden.”
Mayor and staff responses: The mayor said he will bring Lopez’s concerns to the police chief and that staff have previously worked on safety issues. City staff confirmed there are existing city grounds crews that inspect sidewalks; Lopez said she expects the crews to identify and report specific obstructions.
Context: The council opened the meeting with a public-comment period in which members of the public are allotted three minutes and the Brown Act prohibits council action on items not on the agenda. Lopez’s remarks were part of that public-comment period and no council action was taken at the meeting on the issues she raised.
Next steps: The mayor said he would speak with the police chief about crosswalk enforcement and staff indicated they would follow up on reported sidewalk obstructions. Lopez said she will also bring concerns directly to the police chief.
